Car-coupling



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J. H. LANGSCHMIDT.

v CAR COUPLING.

No. 472,505. Patentedpr. 5, 1892.

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J. H. LANGSGHMIDT GAR GOUPLING.l

No. 472,505. Patented Apr. 5,1892.

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AIJNTTED! STATES Y PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HENRY LANGSCI-IMIDT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 472,505, dated April 5, 1892.

Application tiled January 11, 1892. Serial No. 417,669. (N o model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN HENRY LANG- SCHMIDT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers, which are fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and in which- Figure 1 shows a vertical longitudinal section of a pair of my ear-couplers with fragments of passenger-ears to each in the act of coupling. Fig. 2 shows a single member or draw-head in plan view in which the interior parts are shown in broken lines. Fig. 3 shows a transverse vertical section of a draw-head, taken on a plane in front of the locking bolt or pin. Fig. 4 shows a single link in plan view. Fig. 5 shows two connected freightcars with the coupling mechanism in the open condition. Fig. 6 shows a freight-car with my device in a closed condition as seen in end view. Fig. 7 showsa modified form of my device in vertical longitudinal section. Fig. S shows a modification 'of the construction of my link.

Like letters refer to like parts.

The obj eet of my invention is to construct a car-coupler which with slight modification of some of its parts may be applied to freight as well as passenger oars and which shall in either case become an automatic coupler, and in order to attain said desirable ends I construct my said device in substantially the following manner, namely:

AI provide the usual hollow draw-heads ct a with the usual flaring opening. On the upper side of said draw-heads, near their front ends and axial vertical plane, I erect a tubular projection b, in which plays freely aclosefitting bar c, in which is a pin d, which projects beyond said part h and plays in a slot e, extending from near the base to the top of said tube-b. Said bar c in its lowest position extends beyond the upper surface of the interior of the' draw-head, and to its lower end is attached a pin f, which swings freely on a hinge-joint, as indicated, but is arrested in its forwardmotion by a stop g within on the bottom of the draw-head. Near" the rear end of each draw-head :is a pin h, which passes transversely through the draw-head either `vertically or horizontally, as shown; but for obvious reasons the latter position is preferred. Said pin holds a link j, in which there is a slot z' large enough to allow full lateral motion to said link and also free vertical motion. Fach link has a large slot k, and is both rounded and sharp in front, as shown at Z; Each draw-head is provided with such a link, which is held permanently by said pin h, and each link and pin is placed in the same relative position in each draw-head.

NVhen my couplers are used on passengercars, the bars c are provided with a chain or rope at their upper end to the upper end of which is secured a ring m, and on some suitable part of the platform is secured a hook n, into which the ring is hung when the coupling-bolt c fis to be withdrawn or the parts uncoupled, and from said place said couplingbolt c f is released and dropped whenever the links j have passed over each other, as shown in Fig. 7. To make the links thus pass over each other they are made both sharp and round, as shown at Z, so that they may always pass over each other without jar and so as to cause the upper link to seek the slot 7c in its motion over the' lower link, the width of the links being proportionedto the opening of the draw-head, so that the links cannot pass to the outside of each other.

To apply my couplers to freight-cars I attach over each draw-head a lever o, turning on a fulorum p, one on each side of the drawhead, of which their inner ends cross under the pin CZ and of which their outer ends project a short distance beyond the sides of the car-body. To the side of one of the opposed cars is attached a lever or arm q, hung on a pivot r on which it may turn or revolve, and the free end of said arm is, if necessary, provided with a weight s. On the opposite car and on the same side of the train with the arm q is a pin t on which said arm rests, and on the car which carries the arm q is a iixed pin u. When cars are t0 be coupled, said arm (shown in broken lines) rests on the pin u. As the links now approach and slide over each other into place, the lower link sliding on the round or sloping end of the draw-head, they IOC push back the pendent and hinged part f of the coupling-pin until the links have entered the draw-heads far enough to permit said parts f to fall into the slots Za. The cars are then securely coupled together. To uncouple the oars, throw the arm q into the position shown in Fig. in i'ull lines. This moves the levers o into the position indicated in broken lines and the bolt c f is raised beyond the reach of the links, and thus the parts are uncoupled. Said arm q may also be allowed to hang down, as indicated in broken outlines in Fig. 5. In the modified construction shown in Fig. 7 there is but a single bolt c', which is made wide in the direction of the draw-head length With a beveled end, as shown, which when struck by the moving link will rise and allow it to enter fully, after which it will, asin the other case, fall into place and complete the coupling. Zhen the pin ZL passes through the draw-head vertically, the hole in the link j, for it is made oblong to allow free vertical play to the link, as shown in Fig. S. Zhen the arm q holds the levers o, as shown in Fig. 5, the coupling-bolts have released the links j. lf the cars are then separated, the end of the arm Q will'drop from its supporting-pin tand release said levers and bolts after the links j have passed beyond the reach of the coupling-bolts, the arm (l being made long enough to answer said purpose.

That I claim isl. The combination, with draw-heads provided with tubes b near their front ends and upper sides and linksj, with slots z' for the pin Zt, said links having horizontal slots Za and sharp and rounded edges Z, of coupling-bolts adapted to reciprocate in said tube l) andenter the slots ,7.5, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with draw-heads pro vided with tubes l), having slots e and pins Zt near their rear ends, and linksj, with slots 'L' for the pins Zz, saidlinks havin horizontal slots 7c and sharp and rounded edges Z, of couplingbolts adapted to reciprocate and enter said slots Ze, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with draw'heads having interior shoulders g and tube h over the same and links j, provided with sharp and rounded front ends Z, slots Zo and fi, with pin ZL through said slot t', secured near the rear ends of the draw-heads, of reciprocating couplingbolts consisting ot' an upper part c in said tube l), carrying a part f, hinged thereto at its lower end and adapted to swing freely thereon, and mechanism m n to suspend said coupli ng-bolts, substantially as specified.

et. The combination, With draw-heads provided With slotted tubes l) on their upper side, shoulders g on their inner side directly under said tubes, links j with both sharp and rounded front ends Z, and slots c and t', of verticallyreciprocating coupling-bolts with pin (Z, levers o, fulcrumed at p, whereof one end lifts at said pin (Z and the other projects beyond the side of the car, and arm q on the side of the car to act on the projecting end of said levers o, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, with draw-heads provided each with a permanently-attaehed link secured near the rear end of said draw-heads and provided at its front part with a horizontal slot Za, and slotted tube I) on the front and upper side of the draw-head, provided with coupling-bolt having a pin Z projecting beyond said slot, of levers o on the side ot' the draw-head, fulerumed at p and having their inner ends projecting under said pin Z and their outer ends projecting slightly beyond the sides of the car, an arm q, attached to the side of the car to rotate on a pin i', and a pin t to carry the free end ot said arm, substantially as specified.

ABEL A. WESTENGARD, FRANK D. OsnoRN. 

